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L. P. BARLOW.

AERIAL EXPLOSIVE DEVICE. APPLICATION man sEPT.18.1916.

Patented Deo. 23,1919.

INVENToR. am/Qn- ATTQRNEY 5 Kink( UNITED Y sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

LESTER I. BARLOW, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESN E ASSIGNMENTS. TO MARLIN-ROCKWELL CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

AERIAL ExrLosIvE DEVICE.

lSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

Application led September 18,v 1916. Serial No. 120,604.

lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to aerial explosive devices of the character of what I may term aerial mortars, that is to say, a construction which comprises a barrel or outer caslng which is adapted to be dropped from anaeroplane or other flying machine or pro jected from a gun.; within the barrel or casing` is contained an explosive bomb and a device for expelling the bomb from the upper or rea-r end of the casing after the lower or forward end of the same has struck the earth or other object. The -object of such a con- 'struction is to provide for the explosion of the bomb after it has been expelled from the casing and therefore above the surface of the earth or other object struck and not, as particularly in the case of striking the earth, within the object struck, with the necessary result of a confined explosion.

My ypresent invention relates to devices of this character, in which the bomb is expelled from the outer casing, after the latter has struck an object and thereby been stopped within a comparatively short distance, by mechanical means, in contra-distinction to the firing of an expelling charge. In the preferred form of my invention, the bomb 1s slidably mounted within the barrel or casing and rests upon a .strong spring which 1s partly compressed. The bomb is normally prevented from' rearward or upward movement in the casing by a detent or locking device, this detent being held in operative position by the upward or rearward pressure of the spring on the bomb. When the forward movement of the casing or barrel is suddenly checked or stopped, the momentum of the bomb carries the same forward compressing the spring to a considerable extent and releasing the locking device. Thereafter, and about the time that the forward movement of the outer casing is entirely stopped within the earth, in my preferred construction, the forward movement of the bomb within the casing is overcome by the force of the charged spring' or expelling device which now acts to expel the bomb from the rear end of the casing. The explosive charge within the bomb is exploded shortly after the bomb has left vthe casing and preferably at a predetermined distance above the casing.

' This means for exploding the bomb may become effective after either an interval of space, as by mechanical connection between the bomb and the casing, or after an interval of time, as by means of a delayed charge in the bomb, which may be fired when the bomb starts its upward or rearward movement.

Other objects of my invention consist in the combination of parts and the details of structure more fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the appended claims.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and illustrating certain embodiments of my invention. In the drawings Figure l represents a sectional longitudinal view through a device embodying one form of my invention,

Fig. :2 is a similar view showing the device after the outer casing has become embedded in the earth and the bomb has been expelled therefrom and is about to be exploded and Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 3-,3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the outer casing or barrel l of the device may comprise a cylinder open at its rear end and provided with stabilizing vanes 2 adjacent the rear end. At its lower or forward end the casing may be closed, but this is not necessary. I prefer to `turn the forward edge of the cylindrical casing inwardl to form an annular flange or seat 3. T e spiral spring 4 is adapted to be seated upon this flange or seat 3 with the bomb 5 mounted above or to the rear of the spring.

It is highly desirable that the outer casing which it struck the same. These objects may be accomplished by keeping the center of gravity well forward in the casing, providreversely bent around -be of considerable stiffness.

ing straight stabilizing vanes, such as those illustrated and providing at the forward end of the casing a device for preventing too great penetration, while permitting a sufcieiit penetration. In the form of my device illustrated, I have provided a flanged striking member 6 which may comprise an outwardly curved or slightly conical body portion 6 'and a plurality of what 1 term spreading flanges 62. The metalof which the curved body portion 6 is formed may be the periphery thereof and then slotted to form the flanges 62, the member being welded or otherwise secured to the forward end of the casing 1 adjacent to the base of the body portion 6', as shown at 7. When the forward end of the structure strikes the earth, the flanges 62 which are bent outwardly somewhat will spread apart to retard the penetration of the casing and prevent the same going too deep.

The bomb 5, or a member 8 upon which the bomb rests, is mounted upon or to the rear of spring 4, the lower or striking end of the casing being referred to as the forward end and the upper or opposite end of the casing referred to as the rear end thereof. The bomb is pressed forwardly against the spring, so that the laitter is normally under a certain amount of compression. lhe bomb is slidably mounted within casing 1, both bomb and casing preferably being cylindrical and the bomb being of sufficient diameter to have a sliding fit in the casing.

To obtain a rapid and effective expulsion of the bomb from the casing, spring 4 should Also, for the best results, the spring should be suiciently stressed before the propulsion of the entire device to more than counterbalance the weight of the bomb; that is, in the case of a structure which is to be dropped vertically, the spring should tend to move the bomb upwardly in the casing. Accordingly, l provide a locking or detent device for preventing such upward or rearward movement of the bomb in the casing and maintaining the spring under compression, this detent being adapted to-be moved into inoperative position when the forward movement of the outer casing is suddenly stopped or checked and the bomb accordingly moves forwardly against the spring.

A suitable detent is illustrated in the drawings in which it will be seen that casing 1 is longitudinally slotted at opposite points 8, 8. A cylindrical opening 9 extends transversely through the upper solid portion of bomb 5 and a pair of short sleeve members 10, 10 are slidably mounted in this passage 9. A spiral spring 11 extends through the two members 10, 10, each end of the spring being secured to a pin 12 mounted in the outer end of both of the members 10. Each member 10 has a notch 13 in its upper surface which is adapted to engage with the edge 14 of casing 1 constituting the upper wall of each slot 8. A set-screw 15 extends axially through the upper or rear end of the bomb into the passage 9, to foim an abutment against which members 10 strike when they are drawn inwardly by spring 11.

'Vhen the device is assembled, spring 4 is compressed by exerting forward pressure thereon through bomb 5, members 10 being pressed outwardly through slots 8 and the bomb then allowed to move rearwardly a sufficient amount to engage notches 13 with the edges 14 of the casing. Members 10 therefore provide a lock or detent preventing the bomb from moving rearwardly or upwardly, while spring A4 normally prevents the bomb from moving forwardly in the casing. Also, the engagement of edges 14 of the casing with notches 13 prevents members 10 moving inwardly. When the casing containing these parts is dropped ory pro]ected and strikes an object, the forward movement of the casing is suddenly stopped, or the forward movement of the casing is given a rapid negative acceleration as the casing is brought to rest within the earth. lThe momentum of the bomb which is of considerable weight carries the same forward or downward compressing or stressing spring 4 to a considerable extent, members 10 moving inwardly as soon as notches 13 thereof have moved away from edges 14 of the casing. Members 10 in their inner or inoperative positions are contained entirely within the periphery of the bomb, so thatJ they offer no resistance tothe movement of the bomb in the casing. tuniof the bomb has been overcome and the spring 4 considerably stressed thereby, the spring reacts to expel the bomb from the casing, as is indicated in Fig. 2. In case the device is dropped upon the earth, the movement of the casing will cease at just about the moment that the forward movement of the bomb in the casing ceases and the expelling movement of the same begins.

ln regard to the detent or locking member, it is only essential that the same should coact with the relatively fixed member, namely the casing 1, and one of the members movable therein, sucli as the bomb to prevent the rearward movement -of the bomb, or the unstressing of the spring until the forward end of the casing strikes against an object as stated.

The bomb contains a magazine chamber 15 lled with a high explosive and provision must be made for exploding this substance after the bomb has been expelled from its casing. This may be accomplished in several ways. rl`he method illustrated herein .is described an'd claimed in my co-pending application aerial mortars, Serial No. 117,578, liled August 30, 1916. This consists in con- Vhen the forward momennecting a movable member of the bomb with the casing by a flexible cable which becomes taut when the bomb has been expelled for a desired distance from the casing. The cable in becoming taut stops the movable Amember of the bomb and thereby causes a firing pin to contact with a fuse-cap to explode the bomb.

As illustrated, the flexible cable 16 may be connected at its lower end, as shown at 17, to the striking member 6 of the casing, the opposite end of the cable being connected, as shown at 18, to the movable member 8 of the bomb.y A screw plug 19 is mounted in the lower end of the bomb, this screw plug having an axial opening extending therethrough. In' the upper end of this opening may be mounted the detonator 20 containing a suitable detonating material within the mass of high explosive in the magazine chamber 15. Detonator 20 has a depending annular flange 21 which is secured as by a screw connection within the upper bore of member 19.

The member 8 to which cable 16 is secured has an upwardly extending cylindrical -por-- tion 22 which is slidably mounted within the lower portion of the bore extending through member 19. A fuse-cap indicated at 23 is secured in the upper end of cylindrical portion 22 of member 8, as by screwthreading the same therein, member 22 being hollow. A bridge piece 24 is secured in the side walls of member 19 and extends diametrically across the opening therein, this bridge piece being provided with a central upwardly extending firing pin 25. The walls of tubular portion 22 of member 8 are .vertically slotted to permit relative movement between member 22 and bridge piece 24, Abridge piece 24 extending through these slots.

The 'upper surface of spring 4 presses against the lower surface of member 8. Accordingly, when spring 4 ispermitted to expand, after being violently compressed, member 8 is rapidly expelled from the casing with the bomb resting thereon. When cable 16 becomes taut, the upwardv or rearward movement of memberB is suddenly arrested, while the momentum of bomb 5 carries the same on. That is to say that the fuse-cap 23 is stopped while the firing pin 25, which is secured to the bomb, continues its movement, striking the fuse-cap which explodes, thereby exploding detonator 20 and the high explosive material contained in magazine chamber 15. The construction of fuse-cap 23 is well known and is not illustrated herein in detail.

It will be observed that the construction described is simple in character, doing away with considerable mechanism which must be employed when the bomb is expelled from the casing by an explosive. rlhe action is also positive and is of a high degree of certainty in the operation. My invention is not limited strictly to the exact form of construction which has been described in detail herein. The important point of the invention is the utilization of a mechanical or non-explosive device which is to be put in operative condition by the impact of the casing against an object struck, the relative movement between the casing and a body having considerable inertia therein, such as the bomb, being caused to place the expelling device in operative condition; the expelling device thereafter expelling the bomb and the latter being exploded' after it has left the casing and preferably after it has left the .casing a predetermined distance or a predetermined time. l

Vhat I claim is A1. In an aerial explosive device, the combination of an elongated casing having a seat at its forward end andopen at its rear end, a spring mounted on said seat, a bomb having a bursting charge therein, slidably mounted in said casing, to the rear of, and resting on, said spring, said spring being under partial compression, and detent means normally preventing rearward movement of said bomb in said casing, and so constructed as to be moved into inoperative position -by forward movement of said bomb against said spring, said spring being suficiently strong to normally prevent forward movement of said bomb and to expel said bomb from said casing when strongly compressed, substantially .as set forth.

2. In an' aerial explosive device, the combination' of an elongated casing open at its rear end, a spring mounted in the forward end of said casing, a bomb having a burstin charge therein, slidably mounted in said casing, tothe rear of, and resting on, said spring, said spring being partly compressed thereby; detent means normally coactingy with said bomb and casing to prevent rearward movement of said bomb in said casing, held in operative position by the upward pressure of said spring, and arranged to be moved into inoperative position when said bomb moves forwardly against the pressure of said spring, `said spring being suiiciently strong to normally preventy forward movement of said bomb, and to expel said bomb from said casing when strongly compressed; and means for exploding said bomb after it has been expelled from said casing, substantially as set forth.

3. 1n an aerial explosive device, the combination of an elongated casing, adapted to be dropped or projected, forward end first; a mechanical expelling device, and an "explosive bomb, in said casing, and a locking device, adapted normally to prevent the movement of said bomb from the rear end of the casing; said locking device being arranged to be released by the violent impact of the forward end of said casing against au object, and said expelling device adapted t0 expel said bomb from the rear end of the casing after such impact and release of said locking device, substantially as set forth.

4. In an aerial explosive device, the combination of an elongated casing, adapted to be dropped or projected, forward end first; resilient means in the forward part of said casing and an explosive bomb to the rear of the same, so arranged that sudden stoppage orV rapid negative acceleration of the for-Y ward movement of said casing causes said bomb to compress or stress said resilient means until forward movement of said bomb in the casing is overcome, and said resilient means to then expel said bomb from the rear -end of the casino" and means for exploding said bomb, after it has been thus expelled, substantially as set forth.

5. In an aerial explosive device, the combination of an elongated casing, adapted to be dropped or projected, forward end first: resilient means in the forward part of said casing and an explosive' bomb to the rear of the same, and detent means normally acting on said bomb, in opposition to the pressure of said resilient means, to hold said bomb in position in the casing, said detent means being arranged to be rendered inoperative by sudden stoppage or rapid negative acceleration of the forward movement of said casing, said bom-b being free to compress said resilient means upon such stoppage or negativeA acceleration, substantially a as set forth.

6. In an aerial explosive device, the com bination of an elongated casing, adapted to be dropped or projected, forward end iirst; resilient means in the forward part of said casing and an explosive bomb to the rear of the same, and detent means adapted normally to prevent rearward movement of said bomb in said easing, comprising a mem- Yber slidably mounted for transverse move-V ment on said bomb, and adapted to extend outwardly into engagement vwith an abutment on said casing, and spring means tending to withdraw said member inwardly, out of engagement with said abutment; said member having a shoulder on its upper surface with which said abutment normally engages, to prevent'such withdrawing movement of said member, and said bomb and member being free to move forwardly, against said resilient means, upon the sudden stoppage or rapid negative acceleration of the forward movement of said casing, substantially 'as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 15th day of September, 1916.

LESTER P. BARLOIV.

Witnesses:

S. O. EDMoNDs, I. McINTosH. 

